Paul Bennett proposes a new approach to public education in the province to create a more effective, accountable, and responsive school system.

His latest study from the Atlantic Institute for Market Studies suggests school-based management that would reduce governance to two levels: the department and the school. This would eliminate school boards while addressing the lingering questions of accountability and democratic representation.

“Decentralizing can improve student outcomes, streamline administration, and increase community ownership over schools,” said Bennett. “It is the opposite of the centralization of education administration implicit in the current plan.”

The new approach would group schools into four districts sharing common support services such as financial, facilities management, transportation, and purchasing services.

“Bennett’s new report focuses on finding effective solutions to parental representation and school accountability so that our schools can get on with their primary goal, which is to educate our children” said AIMS president and CEO Marco Navarro- Génie.